HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdmin Order 58-25-24 -- Closure of Greenspace Franklin Blvd at I-5Administrative Order -- Page 1 of 4
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 58-25-24
of the
Traffic Engineer of Public Works Maintenance's Traffic Operations Team
of the City of Eugene
CLOSURE OF GREENSPACE / UNIMPROVED PORTIONS OF
FRANKLIN BOULEVARD AND TAXLOT 1703334300033 ADJACENT TO
RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY AND INTERSTATE 5
The Traffic Engineer of Public Works Maintenance's Traffic Operations Team of the
City of Eugene finds that:
A. Under the provisions of Chapter IV, Section 16 of the Eugene Charter of 2002, the
City Manager is designated as the administrative head of the City and is specifically authorized to
enforce all ordinances of the City. In addition, EC 5.040 authorizes the City Manager or the
Manager’s designee to close or regulate access to and from any street. EC 5.055 sets forth the
criteria the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee should consider when taking
administrative action authorized by EC 5.040.
B. On August 5, 2020, the City Manager issued Administrative Order No. 58-20-17
granting the Executive Director of the Public Works Department the authority to exercise all of
the duties and responsibilities specifically defined as those of the City Manager in Sections 5.040,
5.045 and 5.050 of the Eugene Code, 1971. That Order also granted the Executive Director of the
Public Works Department the authority to further delegate those duties and responsibilities to such
person or persons qualified to perform the delegated duties.
C. On August 6, 2020, the Executive Director of the Public Works Department issued
Administrative Order No. 58-20-18 granting the City Engineer the authority to perform the duties
and responsibilities specifically defined as those of the City Manager in Sections 5.040, 5.045 and
5.050 of the Eugene Code, 1971. That Order also granted the City Engineer the authority to further
delegate those duties and responsibilities to such person or persons qualified to perform the
delegated duties.
D. On August 11, 2020, the City Engineer issued Administrative Order No. 58-20-19
granting the Traffic Engineer of Public Works Maintenance's Traffic Operations Team the
authority to perform the duties and responsibilities specifically defined as those of the City
Manager in Sections 5.040, 5.045 and 5.050 of the Eugene Code, 1971.
E. For purposes of public health, safety, and welfare, it is necessary to close and
prohibit public to a portion of the Franklin Boulevard right-of-way, specifically to the unimproved
area or “greenspace” that is adjacent to the functional roadway for Franklin Boulevard, a rail line,
Interstate 5, and the city owned tax lot 1703334300033. The closure is needed to protect
infrastructure and reduce other impacts and risks from illicit camping including human waste,
needles, trash, and cooking and camping fires.
Administrative Order -- Page 2 of 4
F. In making the decision, I have considered all the applicable criteria set forth in EC
5.055. The following findings support my decision to close the greenspace area shown in Exhibit
A to the public:
(a) Traffic engineering principles and traffic investigations.
The area to be closed by this Order is the greenspace as shown in Exhibit A. It is classified
as right-of-way for Franklin Boulevard and city owned undeveloped taxlot but public
access to this area is not needed and is actually counter to traffic engineering principles.
Franklin Boulevard is a major arterial roadway with an average daily traffic volume of
approximately 37,000 for both directions. The posted speed limit along this corridor is 45
miles per hour.
Between Interstate 5 and east of Walnut Street, 16 traffic crashes have been reported over
the past six years.
(b) Standards, limitations, and rules promulgated by the Oregon Transportation Commission or
the Oregon Public Utility Commission or their successors.
There are no recognized traffic control standards at this location.
(c) Other recognized traffic control standards.
Not applicable.
(d) The city’s adopted transportation-related plans and policies.
The City’s adopted transportation-related plans and policies do not require that this area
remain open.
(e) Existing state and local laws regulating use of public ways.
State and City laws regulating use of public ways do not require that this area remain open
to the public.
(f) The efficient use of the public way by the public.
The indefinite closure of the greenspaces in the right-of-way along Franklin Boulevard and
tax lot 1703334300033 (as shown in Exhibit A) is needed to protect public infrastructure
(bridge supports, trees, vegetated and rocked slopes, iron and chain link fences).
(g) The use of abutting property.
The abutting land use is residential, railroad, or Oregon Department of Transportation
right-of-way. No such use requires that this area remain open.
Administrative Order -- Page 3 of 4
(h) The intensity of use of the street by vehicles and pedestrians.
Franklin Boulevard is a major arterial roadway with an average daily traffic volume of
approximately 37,000 for both directions. The posted speed limit along this corridor is 45
miles per hour.
In addition to the vehicular use of the portion of the right-of-way to remain open, the multi-
use path facility on the north side of Franklin Boulevard and north of the Interstate 5
offramp will remain open. This order will not impact, and may improve, accessibility of
use by vehicles and pedestrians.
(i) The physical condition and characteristics of the street and abutting property.
i. The greenspace located along Franklin Boulevard is located within City right-of-way. The
tax lot (1703334300033) is City of Eugene owned. This greenspace within the right-of-
way and tax lot is shown outlined in red on the attached map (Exhibit A). The Site is a
vegetated structural fill slope with landscape for Franklin Boulevard and ramps associated
with Interstate 5.
ii. The abutting properties on the northern and southern sides of the street segments include
park land, railroad right-of-way, or undeveloped private property.
(j) Emergencies.
i. Emergency service vehicles are accommodated through bi-directional travel on Franklin
Boulevard.
ii. Franklin Boulevard is designated as an emergency ice or snow removal route priority one.
(k) The public health, safety and welfare.
Since January 2024 the area subject to this Order has been visited 60 times addressing
significant amounts of human waste, needles, excessive trash, cooking and camping fires,
and damage to the high-end turf and landscape beds. While the cleanups have reduced the
volume of these hazards and the frequency of damage to infrastructure, public use of the
area has persisted and the City has needed to perform regular cleanup activities in the area
to address concerns about public health, safety and welfare.
(l) Special events of community interest including parades and public gatherings.
There are no special events of community interest that occur on the portion of green space
as shown in Exhibit A.
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I-5I-5Franklin I-5 Closure Site Map
7/8/2025
PST staff
City of Eugene, Planning Division. | Eugene Arterials and Collectors | Created by Parks and Open Space GIS staff |
Legend
Site
Taxlots
Streets
Caution:
This map is based on
imprecise source data,
subject to change, and for
general reference only.
0 0.050.03 0.1 mi
0 0.070.04 0.15 km
1:2,000
EXHIBIT A